5 Instant Impact Newcomers for Power 5 Programs in Texas

Original photo courtesy of Evan Stewart

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Football practice is in full swing across the state of Texas at the high school and college level and the influx of transfers means new faces are expected to play key roles at every program in the country.

We inch towards Week 1 by taking a look at the most impactful newcomers at each of the five Power Five programs in the Lone Star State

Texas – QB Quinn Ewers 

Thirty-five of the Texas’ 85 scholarship players heading into the 2022 season are transfers or incoming freshmen. The biggest addition of the bunch was Ewers – a former five-star quarterback from Southlake Carroll who skipped his senior season for a one-year trip to Ohio State. He’s expected to win the starting quarterback job over Hudson Card for a Texas offense that could be one of the nation’s best in 2022 thanks to a strong running game, a bevy of talented targets, and an improving offensive line. And that offense needs to outscore opponents because the defense won’t be that improved this season. 

Texas A&M – WR Evan Stewart 

It was tempting to pick one of the defensive linemen or LSU transfer quarterback Max Johnson – who might be the odds-on favorite to start for the Aggies in Week 1 – but I’ll stick with the five-star wide receiver from Frisco. Stewart emerged as the future No. 1 target for Texas A&M during his first spring on campus. He’s ultra-talented, but it says something about the wide receiver group already on campus that he’s the unquestioned best option on the outside. He’ll need a season like Texas’ Xavier Worthy experienced last year to propel the A&M offense to new heights. The running game and defense should be elite. If the passing game can catch up, the Aggies are real contenders in the SEC. 

Baylor – DL Jaxon Player 

The Bears return the best defensive lineman in Texas with nose tackle Siaki Ika back for his junior season. Baylor added another physical interior lineman with Tulsa transfer Jaxon Player arriving on campus. The former Waco Midway standout started 17 times for the Golden Hurricanes and participated in nearly 30 games. He arrives in Waco with 83 career tackles, including 17 for loss and three sacks, as well as one forced fumble and recovery. He’ll provide immediate depth along the defensive line and form a duo with Ika that makes the Bears the toughest team to run up the middle against in the Big 12. That duo should free up linebacker Dillon Doyle to record over 100 tackles on the season. 

TCU – WR Jordan Hudson 

The Horned Frogs added 28 new faces to the roster after hiring Sonny Dykes to replace long-time head coach Gary Patterson. Fourteen of those players are transfers and 14 are incoming freshmen. The group of transfers should offer immediate impact players such as offensive lineman Ezra Dotson-Oyetade, running back Emani Bailey, and safety Mark Perry, but the true freshman class is also talented. Hudson is already standing out at practice according to practice reports and the TCU staff. He was a top-100 prospect in the nation who followed Dykes to TCU after being a long-time SMU commit. He’ll play a lot in 2022 and provide an explosive weapon opposite of All-Big 12 selection Quentin Johnston. 

Texas Tech – OT Cole Spencer

New head coach Joey McGuire acquired 14 transfers and 18 prep prospects in his first offseason in charge of the Red Raiders. Spencer – who followed offensive coordinator Zach Kittley from Western Kentucky – figures to be a day one starter. He’s likely to slide into the left guard position to form a powerful tandem with left tackle Caleb Rogers. Five of the 14 transfers added by the coaching staff play offensive line. The 6-4, 300-pound Spencer was a first-team All-Conference USA selection after the 2021 season. 

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